Can we just not call them debates?

October 03, 2012

Really, calling the campaign stops “Presidential Candidate Debates” is
more than just a misnomer, it’s a disservice.

These aren’t debates. They are simply soap boxes for each candidate to
say various non-committal non-responses that are really nothing more
than puff position statements. To paraphrase what was once said in an
actual election debate: “Would-be next presidents, I’ve been in debates.
I’ve competed in debate. These, sirs, are no debates”.

For those who don’t understand a debate is really a structured argument.
One side puts forth a position and the other responds directly, often
positing specifically, directly, and obviously related questions
designed to dig further into the subject or proposal. Then the other
side will do the same. What we will see in these events will be nothing
of the sort.

What we will see is the “moderator” asking a question, the candidate
dodging and answering with something else. Both candidates will do it,
make no mistake. The fact that the questions are proposed by a
“moderator” should give you a clue as to what is really going on. A
debate isn’t about moderation, it is about digging into the depths; it
is about digging into your opponent’s claims, positions, and proposals,
and having them dig into yours.

At best we’ll get tangentially related surface answers and neither side
will be allowed to get into the details of either theirs or their
opponents comments. All this will really do is serve to show to those
looking that neither candidate really knows what the hell he is talking
about.